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Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades 2025

ForexBrokers.com

Written by ForexBrokers.com

February 05, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Charles Schwab
5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 99
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 40000
ActivTrades
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Trust Score: 81
  • Tradeable Symbols (Total): 1267

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 51% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Regulation

When comparing Charles Schwab and ActivTrades, both brokers present their own unique features and regulatory standings. Founded in 1971, Charles Schwab stands out with a Trust Score of 99 according to ForexBrokers.com. As a publicly traded entity and a bank, it holds five Tier-1 licenses—considered highly trusted—demonstrating its strong regulatory framework. In contrast, ActivTrades has been in operation since 2001 and isn’t publicly traded or a bank. While it holds two Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, it still maintains a respectable Trust Score of 81, marking it as a trusted broker.

Overall, Charles Schwab offers a highly secure option for those seeking an online broker with stringent regulatory backing, thanks in part to its significant number of Tier-1 licenses and its status as a publicly traded bank. Meanwhile, ActivTrades provides a solid level of trust with its combination of Tier-1 and Tier-2 licenses, appealing to investors who prioritize regulatory oversight. Each broker’s regulatory standings can help users make an informed choice based on their personal investment preferences and risk tolerance.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Year Founded info 1971 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info Yes No
Tier-1 Licenses info 5 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2

Fees

Comparing commissions and fees, both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades earn 4 out of 5 stars, but ActivTrades ranks slightly higher for costs (#21 of 63) than Schwab (#23 of 63). The key difference is spreads on major forex pairs: ActivTrades reported an average EUR/USD spread of 0.98 pips (May 2024), while Schwab averaged 1.35 pips (October 2024), making ActivTrades the leaner choice on typical spread pricing.

Charles Schwab doesn’t charge commissions for forex; your cost is the bid/ask spread, and thinkorswim shows overnight financing (carry) in a built-in calculator. There’s no minimum deposit for its main accounts. Forex trading is available through the Schwab One account on thinkorswim, with all trades settled in U.S. dollars; the smallest trade size is 10,000 units, implying about $500 minimum margin at 20:1 leverage. For international stocks, Schwab One supports trading in USD (placing orders in local currency requires a phone call). The Schwab Global account lets you trade in 12 local markets, with currency conversion fees ranging from 0.2% to 1% depending on your balance.

ActivTrades’ pricing is primarily spread-based and varies by asset and platform, with spreads that are a bit better than the industry average but not the very lowest; spreads can widen during rollover. The broker offers Individual, Professional, and Islamic accounts; Professional accounts mainly change margin requirements (spreads stay the same), and there’s no special active-trader pricing tier. Average EUR/USD spreads were 0.98 pips in May 2024. Overall rating: 4/5 stars; Commissions and Fees rank: #21 of 63. Charles Schwab: 4/5 stars; Commissions and Fees rank: #23 of 63.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.27 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 1.27 info 0.92 info
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.

Featured Offers


Range of investments

Comparing the range of investments, Charles Schwab offers far more markets than ActivTrades. Schwab lists about 40,000 tradeable symbols and 73 forex pairs, while ActivTrades has around 1,267 symbols and 49 forex pairs. Both brokers support forex trading as CFDs or spot. Schwab also lets you buy exchange-traded securities on U.S. exchanges (like Apple on NASDAQ) and on international exchanges, whereas ActivTrades offers exchange-traded securities on international exchanges but not in the U.S. For range of investments, ForexBrokers.com rates Schwab 5/5 (ranked #5 of 63) and ActivTrades 4/5 (ranked #25 of 63).

Neither broker lets you buy actual cryptocurrency, but both offer crypto CFDs. ActivTrades supports copy trading; Schwab does not. If you want the widest selection and access to U.S.-listed stocks, Schwab stands out. If copy trading is important and you’re comfortable without U.S. stocks, ActivTrades is a strong alternative.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 40000 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 73 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).

Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.

Trading platforms and tools

Charles Schwab and ActivTrades both check key boxes for traders: each provides a free paper trading (demo) account, an in-house proprietary platform, and access via Windows desktop and web browsers. Both also let you place orders straight from price charts. ActivTrades stands out for MetaTrader fans by offering MT4 and MT5, while Schwab does not. Specific counts for built-in technical indicators and watchlist columns aren’t specified for either broker.

If you’re looking for copy trading, ActivTrades offers it, whereas Charles Schwab does not. For overall platform quality, ForexBrokers.com rates Charles Schwab at 5 stars and ranks it #7 out of 63 brokers for Trading Platforms and Tools; ActivTrades earns 4 stars and ranks #26. In short, pick Schwab if you want a top-rated, broker-built platform with paper trading, or go with ActivTrades if MetaTrader and copy trading are must-haves alongside a demo account.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 374 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.

Forex trading apps

Charles Schwab and ActivTrades both offer mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with price alerts, trendline drawing, and auto‑saved chart annotations. The biggest differences are depth and syncing. Schwab’s app supports 374 technical studies and syncs your watchlists with your online account, so changes carry across devices. ActivTrades includes 30 technical studies and does not sync watchlists between the app and web. In independent testing by ForexBrokers.com, Schwab earned 5 stars and ranked #6 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps, while ActivTrades earned 4 stars and ranked #21.

If you value advanced charting tools and seamless device-to-web continuity, Schwab’s mobile app is the stronger choice. If you want a simpler toolkit that still covers core needs like alerts, trendlines, and saved drawings, ActivTrades can fit the bill. Both deliver on the essentials, but Schwab stands out for technical analysis depth and cross-platform convenience.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.

Market research

Both Charles Schwab and ActivTrades deliver daily market commentary, top-tier forex news from sources such as Bloomberg, Reuters, and Dow Jones, and an easy-to-follow economic calendar that tracks global events. For overall research, Charles Schwab earns a 5-star rating and ranks #5 out of 63 brokers on ForexBrokers.com, while ActivTrades holds a 4-star rating and ranks #26.

As for tools, both brokers do not include Autochartist, Trading Central, TipRanks, or Acuity Trading. The key difference is sentiment data: ActivTrades offers a sentiment-based trading tool that displays the ratio of long vs. short positions, while Charles Schwab does not. Choose Schwab if you want a higher-rated research experience, or pick ActivTrades if built-in sentiment insights are a priority alongside daily commentary and news.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info No No
Client sentiment data info No Yes
TipRanks info No No
Acuity Trading info No No
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.

Beginners and education

Comparing Charles Schwab and ActivTrades for beginner education, both brokers make it easy to start learning. Each hosts online educational webinars at least once a month and offers 10+ beginner trading videos, plus 10+ advanced videos for when you’re ready to go deeper. If your focus is forex or CFDs, check each broker’s learning center for dedicated sections, as the availability of a full forex/CFD library isn’t specified here.

In third-party reviews, Charles Schwab has the edge for education with a 5-star rating and a #6 ranking out of 63 brokers at ForexBrokers.com. ActivTrades is rated 4 stars and ranks #30. If education quality and recognition matter most, Schwab comes out ahead; if you simply want regular webinars and plenty of beginner and advanced videos, both brokers deliver.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.

Winner

After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than ActivTrades. Charles Schwab finished with an overall rank of #6, while ActivTrades finished with an overall rank of #28.

Charles Schwab is a highly trusted financial institution and multi-asset broker catering to U.S.-based and international forex traders. Schwab's award-winning thinkorswim platform offers over 70 tradeable currency pairs alongside impressive tools, research, and education. That said, the broker’s forex offering is still largely limited to what is available on thinkorswim.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
ActivTrades logoActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Schwab or ActivTrades?

Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and ActivTrades, neither supports purchasing actual delivered cryptocurrency, but both offer cryptocurrency CFD trading.

What funding options does each broker offer?

Comparing Charles Schwab vs ActivTrades for deposits and withdrawals: Charles Schwab supports ACH/SEPA and bank wires but not PayPal or Skrill, while ActivTrades supports Skrill and bank wires but not ACH/SEPA or PayPal; Visa/Mastercard availability is not specified for either broker.

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Overall Rating Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review ActivTrades Review
Broker Screenshots Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Broker Gallery (click to expand) info
Schwab thinkorswim mobile forex charting. Schwab thinkorswim desktop forex trading. Schwab research weekly market analysis YouTube video detail. Schwab education courses technical analysis.
ActivTrades ActivTrader mobile app watchlist light mode. ActivTrader platform web. ActivTrader research weekly outlook articles. ActivTrades educational articles macro analysis.
Regulation Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Trust Score info 99 81
Year Founded info 1971 2001
Publicly Traded (Listed) info Yes No
Bank info Yes No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info No
Tier-1 Licenses info 5 2
Tier-2 Licenses info 0 1
Tier-3 Licenses info 0 0
Tier-4 Licenses info 0 2
Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Australia (ASIC Authorised) info No No
Canada (CIRO Authorised) info Yes No
Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) info Yes No
Japan (FSA Authorised) info No
Singapore (MAS Authorised) info Yes No
Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) info No
United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) info Yes Yes
USA (CFTC Authorized) info Yes No
New Zealand (FMA Authorised) info No
Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). info No
Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Kenya (CMA Authorised) info No
Israel (ISA Authorised) info No
South Africa (FSCA Authorised) info No
UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) info No
India (SEBI Authorised) info No
Jordan (JSC Authorised) info No
Investments Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) info Yes Yes
Tradeable Symbols (Total) info 40000 1267
Forex Pairs (Total) info 73 49
U.S. Stocks (Shares) info Yes No
Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
Cryptocurrency (Underlying) info No No
Cryptocurrency (CFDs) info Yes Yes
Disclaimers Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients).
Cost Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account info 1.27 info 1.08 info
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active info 1.27 info 0.92 info
Inactivity Fee info No Yes
Order execution: Agency info Yes No
Order execution: Market Maker info No Yes
Funding Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Minimum Deposit info $0 $0
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) info No No
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) info No Yes
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) info Yes Yes
Non-wire bank transfer info Yes No
Trading Platforms Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Platform (Windows) info Yes Yes
Web Platform info Yes Yes
Copy Trading info No Yes
MetaTrader 4 (MT4) info No Yes
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) info No Yes
cTrader info No No
Trading Tools Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Virtual Trading (Demo) info Yes Yes
Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) info 374 30
Charting - Trade From Chart info Yes Yes
Charts can be saved info Yes Yes
Mobile Trading Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple iOS App info Yes Yes
Mobile Price Alerts info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] info
Mobile Watchlists - Syncing info Yes No
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines info Yes Yes
Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave info Yes Yes
Mobile Research - Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Research Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Daily Market Commentary (Articles) info Yes Yes
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) info Yes Yes
Autochartist info No No
Trading Central info No No
TipRanks info No No
Client sentiment data info No Yes
Economic Calendar info Yes Yes
Education Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Webinars info Yes Yes
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos info Yes Yes
Major Forex Pairs Charles Schwab ActivTrades
GBP/USD [DELETED] info
USD/JPY [DELETED] info
EUR/USD info Yes Yes
USD/CHF [DELETED] info
USD/CAD [DELETED] info
NZD/USD [DELETED] info
AUD/USD [DELETED] info
Review Charles Schwab Review ActivTrades Review
Overall Charles Schwab ActivTrades
Overall Rating info 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Fees 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Trading Platforms 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Mobile Trading 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Trust Score info 99 81
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review ActivTrades Review
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